| Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center is proud to announce Kimberly Houchin, RN, ER Coordinator has been accepted into the inaugural class of the West Virginia Nursing Leadership Institute.
The WVNLI is a ground breaking statewide program to prepare nurses in leadership skills to assist their institution and profession as West Virginia addresses an impending and serious nursing shortage.
Studies estimate that the state will be unable to meet the predicted demand for as many as 2,500 additional nurses by the year 2008. This impending nursing shortage calls for innovative solutions that support nurses who wish to stay and work in their home communities. The Institutes 18-month program allows participants to remain in their current positions, while providing the experiences, insights, networking, competencies and skill-enhancements necessary to produce effective leaders both in the workplace and in their communities.
The West Virginia Nursing Leadership Institute was created through a collaboration of the West Virginia University School of Nursing -- Charleston Division and the Charleston Area Medical Center Health Education and Research Institute. The highly interactive Institute includes opportunities for participants to build leadership skills through workshops and classes, including four intensive, 2 1/2 day seminars in Charleston. In addition, state-of-the-art internet programs will enable participants to work on assignments and leadership projects from their homes or workplaces. Participants also receive ongoing mentorship from a recognized leader in West Virginia.
Project Director Cynthia Persily PhD, RN welcomes the class and is proud of the efforts of the many groups that made the project a reality. "The WVNLI is a powerful solution to the challenge of leadership development in nursing," Persily said. "It promises to be one of the most effective and comprehensive statewide leadership development programs available today for nurses. The need for leadership in addressing the nursing shortage is obvious. Our inaugural class will be positioned to provide local leadership at this crucial time." Persily is a devoted advocate for nursing in West Virginia, serving on a number of committees and boards to address nursing issues. Chairperson of the WVU School of Nursing, Charleston Division and Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Southern Region Programs. Persily also serves as a member of the legislatively mandated WV Commission to Study Nursing Shortage.
The West Virginia Nursing Leadership Institute has benefited from the support of many area foundations and charitable groups including The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, The CAMC Foundation,
Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund,
Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program,
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, and CAMC Medical Center.
For more information about the West Virginia Nursing Leadership Institute, call toll free 1-866-882-6270 or (304) 347-1207.
Individuals may learn more about the program by e-mailing wvnli@hsc.wvu.edu or by visiting the Web site at www.wvnli.org
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